Stackable box

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a stackable box with an inverted truncated pyramid shape, comprising a box body (1), with a base and respective walls (2), with the upper part open, and respective foldable flaps (3) on the upper part of at least a pair of facing walls (2), the flaps (3) being arranged horizontally on the inside of the box (1A) in a first position, and outside the vertical projection of the body of the box (1) in a second position. The connection of the flap (3) to the respective wall (2) thereof can be carried out by means of a hinge (4) or a thin strip (5). The flaps (3) can have respective tabs for locking onto the walls (2) adjacent to the wall supporting the flap (3).

FIELD OF THE ART

The present invention relates to a stackable box for a variety ofproducts, primarily fresh food (vegetables, breads, fruits, fish, etc.),which can be fitted into other similar boxes when it is empty.

STATE OF THE ART

Rectangular boxes made of plastic material and without a top lid usedfor loading fresh food such as vegetables, fish, etc. are known in thestate of the art. To that end, there are arranged on a side of theloading point, filled, and transported to the next location, usually alogistics center, a food market, etc. Once empty, they must return tothe starting location to initiate the cycle again.

These empty boxes must be able to be piled up with minimum space. Tothat end, asymmetrical boxes have been developed, such that when theupper box has the same orientation as the lower box, it is introducedtherein, reducing the total volume, but when it is rotated, it issupported on the upper part thereof, which allows arranging boxes thatare full with alternating orientations in columns without affecting thecontent.

A system capable of obtaining those same advantages but by moving onlysmall elements instead of the entire box which can be quite heavy whenit is full is also known. This system is advantageous as it solves thepreceding problems, although it is still susceptible to improvement.Specifically, the flaps project from the sides when the box is open,increasing the space used in the transport thereof, and causing the mostfragile part of the box to be arranged in a cantilever manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention consists of a stackable box according to the claims. Theinvention solves the problems of the state of the art with its differentembodiments.

The stackable box has an inverted truncated pyramid shape and comprisesa box body, with a base and respective walls. The box body has the upperpart open, and there are arranged in at least one pair of facing wallsrespective foldable flaps in the upper part. The flaps have a firstposition in which they are arranged horizontally on the inside of thebox, and a second position in which they are arranged outside thevertical projection of the box body. In other words, in a firstposition, they make the upper opening of the box body smaller to preventthe entry and fitting of a second similar box, whereas in the secondposition, they do not prevent the entry but rather is located close tothe outer part of the corresponding wall. The flaps are thereforelocated such that they adhere to or converge with the walls, below thesupport wall, without increasing the space used by the box.

The box body therefore has an angle of inclination in each wall, whichwill preferably be the same, and a thickness of the wall. The width ofthe flaps measured from the articulation to the wall to the free endwill be such that the projection over the horizontal of the flap in thesecond position (or the open position) is approximately the thickness ofthe upper edge of the corresponding support wall. As will be shownbelow, this thickness will be measured from the rotating shaft of theflap to the inner side of the wall. To facilitate same, the box may havean upper rim which increases the thickness of the wall in the upperpart, and allows arranging the articulation of the flap in a cantilevermanner.

This width of the flaps allows the nested arrangement to be the same orsimilar, in position, to a hypothetical nested arrangement of theindependent box bodies. In other words, it does not change the height orthe width of the nested arrangement.

The flap can be attached to its respective wall through one or morehinges or through one or more thin strips made of the same material,produced during box manufacture (generally by the injection ofplastics). This second type of attachment is generally referred to as“film attachment” and the flap and the corresponding wall therein infact form a single body.

The flaps preferably have respective locking flanges on the wallscontiguous to the one supporting the flap.

Likewise, the flap can have protrusions and notches complementary to thenotches and protrusions made in the base of the box body. The flaps canalso have ribs to increase their strength or favor the fall of theproduct.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are included to better understand the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the view of two box models according to respectiveembodiments, where FIG. 1A shows the flaps in the closed position orfirst position, and FIG. 1B shows the flaps in the open position orsecond position.

FIG. 2 shows the detail of a third embodiment of the box with a hinge.

FIG. 3 shows the detail of another embodiment of the box with a film.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the stackablebox, where the posts and cut-out areas are seen.

FIG. 5 shows the detail of several boxes of the embodiment with theflaps in the open position and nested together (A) and in the closedposition and stacked on top of one another (B).

FIG. 6 shows the section explaining the position of the flaps in thefirst (closed) position and in the second (open) position, where thedifference in height in both cases is seen.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention will be described briefly below as anillustrative and non-limiting example of said invention.

The box of the invention comprises a box body (1), the base of whichusually has a rectangular or square shape, and with the upper partcompletely open, i.e., its walls (2) have no element whatsoeverprotruding through the top part towards the inside of the box, with theexception of a possible reinforcement rib or the like which affects theentire height. In any case, the walls (2) must allow the box bodies (1)to fit into one another, for which it is preferable for the walls (2) tobe slightly inclined, the box body (1) having an inverted truncatedpyramid shape. The shape of the base of the pyramid is irrelevant, whereit can be any polygon or curved figure.

There will be arranged in at least one pair of opposite walls (2) of thebox body (1) respective foldable flaps (3) which, in a first position orclosed position, are arranged almost horizontally and on the inside ofthe box. In that first position (depicted in FIG. 1A), when a box isplaced on top of the other, the upper box will be supported on the flaps(3) of the lower box.

The flaps will have a second position or open position (depicted in FIG.1B) in which they will be arranged outside the box, i.e., outside thevertical projection of the box body (1). Specifically, they will bearranged close to the corresponding wall (2) on the outer part thereof.The flaps (3) may swing any number of degrees between the two positions.Therefore, the second position may be oriented downwards after arotation of more than 270°.

The flap (3) can be articulated to the corresponding wall (2) by meansof one or more hinges (4) or by means of one or more thin strips (5)made of the same material of the box. Since it is thin, it will beflexible and allow both positions. This strip (5) must achieve a balancebetween flexibility and breaking strength. When the attachment is by ahinge (4), the flaps (3) can be made of a material different from thatused in the box body (1).

The part of the flap (3) contacting the walls (2) contiguous to the onesupporting it may comprise one or more locking flanges (10). Theselocking flanges (10) make it easier to maintain the closed position ofthe flaps (FIG. 1A) as long as no other box is stacked on top.

Protrusions (6) and/or notches (7) as well as ribs can be made in theflap (3) to help centering the upper box, which will have in the basethereof complementary notches and protrusions. In this manner, once abox is placed on top of the other, sliding will not occur because theprotrusions (6) of the base have been introduced into the notches (7) ofthe flap (3) and/or vice versa.

Considering FIGS. 5 and 6, the size or width that the flaps (3) musthave with respect to the support wall (2) is seen. It depends on thethickness of the wall (2) which can be made larger in the upper partthereof with a rim.

Preferably, it will be assured that manufacturing tolerances do notprevent the nested arrangement.

For the flap (3) to be perfectly hidden from sight, it is recommendablefor the shaft of the articulation, i.e., either the hinge (4) or thestrip (5), to be arranged in a slightly cantilever manner with respectto the wall (2).

A fastener may be arranged to assure the position between the flap (3)and the corresponding wall (2), for example by means of collaborationbetween a protrusion (6) in the flap (3) and a point of the wall (2),among other solutions. It is also possible for the flap (3) to be fixedin place by the mere placement of the box in a nested position.

The box will be made of any suitable material and color, withthermoplastics being the most common material. It may also be made ofother materials. Reinforcement ribs, lightening elements or openworks,handles, height recesses may also be placed in the side walls (cut-outareas), as is known in the state of the art, without those applicationsdeviating from the invention. It is of interest to make depressions andprotrusions in the walls (2) so as to increase the strength thereof, forexample with corrugations or posts, as well as to provide cut-out areas(9): planar areas (11) without openworks or ribs therein for placinglabels or card holders or for printing logotypes. The box can have rimsor ribs in the mouth and in the base to increase its strength.

Likewise, the bottom may have openworks for the discharge of liquids orpassage of air, or cavities or shapes (8) for placing products such asfruits and vegetables. These shapes (8) will be similar to the fruit orelement for which the box is intended.

The invention is applicable to a box body (1) of any shape as long as ithas two parallel opposite walls (2) for fixing the flaps (3).

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A stackable box with an inverted truncated pyramidshape allowing the fitting thereof into another similar stackable box ina nested manner, which box comprises a box body, with a base andrespective walls, with the upper part open, and respective foldableflaps in the upper part of at least one pair of facing walls, said flapsbeing movable, by means of articulated attachments the rotating shaftsof which are arranged in a cantilever manner with respect to the walls,between a first position in which the flaps are arranged horizontally onthe inside of the box, and a second position in which the flaps they arearranged under the vertical projection of the support wall supportingthe box body and close to the wall, characterized in that: the flap hasa width, measured from said rotating shaft to the free edge of the flap,such that the projection thereof over the horizontal in the secondposition is less than or equal to the thickness of an upper edge of thesupport wall measured from the articulation shaft to an inner side ofthe wall; said width of the flap is such that, in the second position,the flap does not change the width or the height of the nestedarrangement with respect to a hypothetical nested arrangement of the boxbodies without the flaps; the box is made of a thermoplastic material,obtained by injection molding; and said articulated attachment of eachflap with its respective wall comprises at least one thin strip made ofthe same material of the box, so the flap forms a single body with itsrespective wall.
 11. The stackable box according to claim 10, whereinthe walls have upper rims which increase the thickness of the wall inthe upper part and allow arranging the rotating shaft of the articulatedattachment in a cantilever manner.
 12. The stackable box according toclaim 10, wherein at least one wall has reinforcement posts.
 13. Thestackable box according to claim 10, wherein the flaps have respectivelocking flanges on the walls contiguous to the one supporting the flap.14. The stackable box according to claim 10, having in the flapprotrusions and/or notches complementary to the notches and protrusionsmade in the base of the box body.
 15. The stackable box according toclaim 10, wherein the base and/or the walls have openworks for thedischarge of liquids or passage of air.
 16. The stackable box accordingto claim 10, wherein the base has cavities or shapes for placingproducts.
 17. The stackable box according to claim 10, wherein in thesecond position the flaps are attached to the outer part of the supportwall by a fastener.
 18. The stackable box according to claim 10, whereinthe flaps have locking flanges in the first position.